Cesc Fabregas leaves Chelsea

Cesc Fabregas has reunited with former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry after joining Monaco from Chelsea.

The former Gunners midfielder leaves English football after 501 matches.

The 31-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half year deal with the Principality club who are 19th in Ligue 1.

Despite Chelsea stalling over a move since Sunday as they sought a replacement, Fabregas has signed in time to make his debut away to Marseille this weekend.

Chelsea are understood to be interested in replacing the Spaniard with either Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella or Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Leandro Paredes.

Fabregas left the pitch in tears after making his final appearance for Chelsea in last Saturday’s FA Cup third-round win over Nottingham Forest.

The Spanish midfielder began his career in England at Arsenal after joining them from Barcelona’s academy and was named as the club’s captain in 2008.He spent nearly eight years at Arsenal before returning to his boyhood club in 2011.

In Spain, Fabregas won the Copa del Rey and La Liga in successive seasons before he returned to England in 2014 with Chelsea.

He won the League Cup and the Premier League in his first season, trophies that had eluded him during his time at Arsenal.

Further title success came in the 2016/17 season before he lifted the FA Cup for the first time last season.

Fabregas’ latest challenge will be to try and save Monaco from relegation.